Chapter 13 - Elections and Campaigns Flashcards Preview

Median voter theorem

A mathematical result showing that the voter with the ideological preference in the middle of the ranking of voters must be satisfied and approve of a majority-rule winning outcome

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Plurality rule

A method for determining an election’s winner in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins

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Single-member district

An electoral district in which a single person is elected to a given office

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Australian ballot

A type of ballot that lists all candidates running for each office and allows voters to cast their votes secretly and for specific individual candidates

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Referendum

An election in which citizens vote directly on whether to overturn a bill or a constitutional amendment that has been passed by the legislature

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Initiative

An election held to vote directly on a ballot proposition that was proposed by a group of individuals

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Open primary

A primary election in which any registered voter can vote, regardless of party affiliation

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Closed primary

A primary election in which only voters registered with the party can vote

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Political action committee (PAC)

A type of organization regulated by the Federal Election Commission that raises money from donors to support the election campaigns of federal political candidates

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Federal Election commission (FEC)

The federal agency that regulates campaign donations to and spending by candidates for Congress and the presidency

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Super PACs

A type of organization regulated by the Federal Election Commission that can spend unlimited sums of money to advocate for the election or for the defeat of a candidate, but is prohibited from contributing funds directly to federal campaigns and parties

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Hard money

Campaign funds that are given directly to candidates or parties to support a particular candidate, and thus are subject to FEC regulations

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Soft money

Campaign funds that are given to parties or other organizations to support voter mobilization or voter education activities, and thus typically are not subject to FEC regulations

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527s

Organizations that are independent of any party or candidate, and thus are not regulated by the FEC, as theyadvocate publicly for or against specific candidates, parties, or policies